Packaging apparatus



y 1952 c. FULCO CKAGING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 25, 1960 INVLNT Camus FuLco RMM ATTORNEY 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 25, 1960 lHvEm-oz'. Camus: FuLco W July 3, 1962 c. FULCO 3,041,805

PACKAGING APPARATUS Filed July 25, 1960 s SheetsSheet s lflvemoa CHARLES FuLco 5T PM v2 ED umw United States Patent 3,041,805 PACKAGING APPARATUS Charles Fulco, 5425 Virginia Ave., Shreveport, La. Filed July 25, 1960, Ser. No. 44,963 17 Claims. (Cl. 53--152) This invention relates to article packaging machinery and more especially to a machine for successively arranging such articles in predetermined relation one to the other and then releasing them into a preformed receptacle or carton.

The present invention is particularly useful in the type of packaging apparatus comprising a single wheel having multi-chamber forms spaced around its periphery, which chambers are successively rotated past a loading station where articles or commodities are deposited therein. On account of the arcuate shape and path of travel of the wheel periphery, considerable difliculty has been experienced heretofore in loading the articles upon a circumference of the rotating wheel and then transferring the group from the circumference to an alined position within a carton. Attempts to solve this dilficulty usually require the abandonment of the single wheel concept and the adoption of the relatively more complicated and expensive conveyor belt for supporting the multi-chamber forms.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a packaging apparatus of the class described employing a single rotary wheel for supporting the multi-chamber forms and wherein the forms are so constructed and arranged as to permit groups of articles to be loaded succes sively into the respective chambers of each form from a conveyor system and to permit the group to be transferred from the form to an alined position within a carton.

It is another object of this invention to provide packaging apparatus comprising a rotatable wheel having article receiving chambers spaced around its periphery, in combination with mechanism movable transversely of the plane of rotation of the wheel for successively loading the chambers with articles, a further means for discharging the articles from adjacent chambers in groups and in a direction radially of the wheel, and a still further means for supporting the open end of a carton in the path of the discharged group to receive the articles.

Thus a side loading rotary packaging mechanism is provided in which each article follows substantially an L- shaped path while passing through its chamber.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a side loading packaging apparatus in which the articles are separated one from another by intervening chamber partitions during the entire period of loading and discharging from the chambers thereby affording individual protection to each article during the packaging opera tion. Moreover, such partitions provide protective means individual to the several articles deposited in the cabinet, which protective means guides each of the articles radially outwardly from the loading point adjacent the wheel circumference to a predetermined arrangement Within a container carried by the cabinet.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a packaging wheel having sections of article receiving chambers spaced around its periphery, in combination with means for automatically positioning the open end of a carton over the discharge side of each section and in position to receive the articles to be subsequently loaded into the chambers of the section.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which-- xii 3,041,805 Patented July 3, 1962 FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of several bread loave packaged by one embodiment of my invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the invention, comprising a chambered wheel, mechanism for intermittently advancing the wheel, and mechanism for feeding articles or commodities to the wheel chambers;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along line 33 in FIGURE 2, showing mechanism for feeding commodities or articles to the chambers of the packaging wheel;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional plan view taken along line 44 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged detail view. of the mechanism for intermittently advancing the chambered wheel;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 6-6 in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is an isometric view of several bread loaves packaged by a second embodiment of my invention;

FIGURE 8 is a side elevation of the second embodiment of invention;

FIGURE 9 is a sectional plan view taken along line 99 in FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged sectional elevation taken along line 10-10 in FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 11 is a sectional detail view'taken along line 1111 in FIGURE 10;

FIGURE 12 is an isometric detail view of a portion of the chambered wheel shown in connection with FIG- URES 8 through 11 and so constructed that the weight of each successively deposited article controls the intermittent rotation of the wheel;

FIGURE 12A is a schematic view of a portion of the chambered wheel associated with means responsive to the weight of each successively deposited article for conrolling intermittent advancement of the wheel;

FIGURE 13 is a schematic diagram of a portion of the chambered wheel shown in FIGURES 8 through 11 and associated with a photoelectric cell for controlling intermittent wheel rotation;

FIGURE 13A is a schematic view of a portion of the chambered wheel shown in FIGURES 2 through 6 and associated with a photo-electric cell for controlling the wheel rotation.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates generally the supporting framework of the packaging mechanism, said iramework having rotatably mounted thereon as at 11 a wheel 12. The periphery of wheel 12. is divided into twelve chambered sections 14, each section being subdivided into six transverse peripheral chambers 15 by radially disposed transverse plates 16. The respective outer edges of radially disposed plates 16 have integral therewith plate extensions 17 which are spaced apart substantially the same distance as the spacing of plates 16, thereby providing a commodity discharge passageway 18 leading from each chamber 15.

It can be observed that the outer side of each section 14, defined by the edges of plates 17, is of substantially the same length as that of six adjacent chambers along the wheel periphery. The outermost side of section 14 is therefore suitably dimensioned to receive thereover the open end of a carton 19 having an inside dimension only slightly greater than the total dimension of the six articles to be packaged therein.

As the wheel 12 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction in FIGURE 2, each section 14 passes upwardly beneath the lower end of an inclined chute 20, said chute being adapted to accommodate a supply of downturned open top cartons 19. The lower end of chute 20 has integral therewith a relatively narrow upturned tongue -21 (FIGURE 9) which intersects the arcuate pathway of 3 the outer portions of plate extensions 17 and holds the lowermost carton of the chute in a position to be engaged by the leading plate extension 17 of an upwardly moving section 14.

Plate extensions 17 are each provided with slots 18a which permit rotation of the plates past tongue 21, at which time the leading upwardly moving extension engages the inside of the wall of the carton and transfers it from the chute over the discharge ends of passageways 18 in the manner shown in FIGURE 2.

After a section 14 has drawn an empty carton from chute 20, the section and carton are further rotated in a counterclockwise manner toward commodity loading station 25 (FIGURES 2, 3 and 4) where a commodity or article 26 is deposited endwise into each radially disposed chamber 15. It will be observed that the point at which the articles are depositedin chambers is located between the open end of the carton 19 carried by the section 14, and the periphery of the wheel 12 which comprises one wall of chamber 15, that is, the loading point is located at the side of the wheel.

The loading station comprises a conveyor chain 27 mounted on a sprocket 27a (FIGURES 2, 4 and 6), which chain has upstanding posts 28 rigidly secured there-. to at spaced points along the chain length, each said point having pivoted thereto as at 29 an article pusher plate 30. As the chain 27 is rotated by sprocket 27a, the articles 26 are successively advanced to platform 31 at the side of wheel and adjacent the circular path of travel of the ends of chambers 15. Articles 26 are successively transferred from platform 31 to chambers 15 by a reciprocable pusher arm 31a as the wheel 12 intermittently advances the chambers to loading position.

Pusher arm 31a is pivotally secured as at 32 to the upper end of a lever 33, the lower end of said lever being pivotally mounted as at 34 to the framework 10. The intermediate portion of lever 33 has pivotally secured thereto as at 35 one .end ofa link 36, and the other end of the link is pivotally secured as at 37 to the lower end of a lever 38, the upper end of lever 38 being pivoted as at 39 to framework 10. A roller 40 is mounted intermediate the ends of lever 38 and adapted to engage groove 41 of cam 42 fixedly mounted on drive shaft 43. Thus, as shaft 43 rotates, the cam 41 produces reciprocatory movement of pusher arm 31a to successively transfer articles 26 endwise from platform 31 into chambers 15.

Chambered wheel 12 is rotated intermittently in a clockwise direction in FIGURE 2 in timed relation to the operation of pusher arm 31a. After each intermittent rotation of the wheel, the pusher arm 31a deposits an article 26 in a chamber 15. The conveyor chain 27 and associated pusher plates 30 are constantly rotated at a speed suitable for positioning an article upon platform 31 each time the pusher arm 31a is moved to retracted position as shown in FIGURE 3.

The driving means for the pusher arm 31:: and for the conveyor chain 27 comprises motor 48 drivably connected to gear reduction unit 49, said unit having the previously described drive shaft 43 extending therefrom. In

order to drive conveyor chain 27 from the same source and in timed relation to the operation of the pusher arm 31a, a geveled gear 50 is secured upon shaft 43, said gear 50 meshing with beveled gear 51 on the lower end of shaft 52. The upper end of shaft 52 has beveled gear 53 mounted thereon which, in turn, meshes with beveled gear 54 on shaft 55. Shaft 55 has conveyor sprocket 27a fixedly mounted thereon.

Intermittent rotation of wheel 12 is produced by a driving connection between shaft 43 and wheel shaft 11 (FIG- URES 2 and 5). This driving connection comprises beveled gear 59 on shaft 43, said gear meshing with beveled gear 60 on the upper end of shaft 61. The lower end of shaft 61 has beveled gear 62 mounted thereon and meshing with beveled gear 63. Gear 63 is mounted upon shaft 64 rotatably mounted in framework 10. Shaft 64 4 has a lever 65 secured thereon (FIGURE 5), the outer end of said lever being provided with a roller 66 which, upon each rotation of shaft 64, engages a radially disposed groove 67 in disk 68 to rotate the latter a partial revolution. Disk 68 is mounted upon shaft 69 and has integral therewith a pinion 70, said pinion meshing with a relatively large gear 71 fixedly secured upon wheel shaft 11.

Each time shaft 64 makes a revolution, the wheel 12 is rotated in a counterclockwise manner through an angle of about 30 degrees, so as to move one chamber from loading position and to present the succeeding chamber in its place. In order to hold the chamber 15 in loading position, that is in registering position with pusher arm 31a, while an article is being deposited, a bellcrank latch member 73 is pivotally mounted upon shaft 74. Member 73 is provided a hooked end 73a which is adapted to engage a notch 68a in the periphery of disk 68 when the associated chamber 15 is in stationary loading position. When the wheel 12 is rotating the chambers between registering positions, the hooked end 7 3a is held in disengaged position as shown in FIGURE 5 by means of cam 75 fixedly mounted upon shaft 64 and engaged by roller 76 on the other leg of bellcrank 73.

It is thus seen that the chambered wheel 12, the conveyor chain 27, and the pusher arm 31a are synchronized whereby articles 26 may be continuously supplied to loading platform 31 and then intermittently transferred to chambers 15 as wheel 12 advances step by step.

In order to retain the cartons 19 in position on the sections 14 during the loading operations and during the subsequent 90-degree rotation of wheel 12, an arcuate plate 77 is provided. As the sections 14 move downwardly from loading station 25 (FIGURE 2), the articles 26 which have been deposited in chambers 15 move outwardly into passageways 18 under the influence of gravity 'and into juxtaposition within cartons 19. The arcuate plate 77 terminates a short distance in advance of the lowermost position occupied by the rotating sections 14 thereby permitting each filled carton to fall onto a suitable conveyor belt 78 thcrebelow.

Although this embodiment of invention shows only one pusher arm 310 at loading station 25 for the endwise loading of articles 26 into chambers 15, it is to be understood that an oppositely disposed pusher arm 3111 may be employed for simultaneously loading opposite ends of chambers with the articles in a manner more fully de- Cal scribed hereinafter in connection with FIGURES 7 through 13.

FIGURES 7 through 11 illustrate a modified form of the invention similar to the preceding form, but differing primarily in the provision of multi-chambered sections pivotally mounted on the wheel and adapted to be maintained substantially in vertical position while passing loading position. This embodiment further differs from the preceding form in the provision of means for simultane ously depositing articles in the opposite ends of the respective chambers when advanced to loading position, thereby packaging the articles in the manner shown in FIGURE 7.

The remaining mechanism shown in FIGURES 7 through 11 is essentially the same as in the preceding form and therefore like reference characters will be applied to similar parts Without further detailed description.

Referring to FIGURES 8, 9 and 10, the numeral 80 denotes a packaging wheel mounted upon horizontal shaft 11, said wheel having a plurality of cabinets 81 pivotally mounted thereon as at 82. Each cabinet 81 comprises five spaced parallel plates 17b and four intervening chambers 83 for the reception of articles 26 as the chambers are intermittently advanced to loading position in a manner previously described. Normally the end of each cabinet remote from the pivot 82 is yieldably pressed into engagement with the periphery of the wheel by suitable means such as torsion springs 84 (FIGURE 11).

The chambers 83 are maintained in successive superposed parallel positions while passing the loading stations so that the open ends of the chambers of each cabinet will coincide or register with rusher arms 31:: while being loaded. The free end of cabinet 81 has integral therewith an arm 85 having a roller 86 on the end thereof, said roller being adapted to follow a fled cam 87 while the cabinet is being loaded with .articles 26. in FIGURE 10 the cabinet 81 a initial loading position, at which time the lowermost chamber 83 will receive two articles 25. During the succeeding three loading positions of the cabinet, the remaining three chambers 83 will be loaded, and in the meantime the chambers 83 will be held in vertically alined positions, the alinement at each position being parallel with the alinement at the other positions.

When the last chamber 83 of cabinet 81 has been loaded, the cam 87 permits the free end of the cabinet to rotate inwardly toward the wheel periphery and to normal position under the influence of torsion springs 84, at which time the loaded carton 19 falls by gravity from the cabinet 31 onto conveyor belt 78. Several positions occupied by the free end of cabinet 81 as it travels downwardly from loading to unloading position, are shown-in dotted lines in FIGURE 10. Although the horizontal distance between the cabinet 81 and the center 11 of the wheel will vary slightly during the loading of the cabinet, this variation will not be so great as to prevent the chambers 83 from registering with the oppositely disposed pusher arms 31a at loading position.

The mechanism employed in this embodiment of invention for intermittently advancing the chambers 83 to loading position is substantially identical to that shown and described in connection with FIGURES 2 through 6. It should be noted, however, that after a cabinet has been loaded the wheel 80 must then be advanced through a much larger angle to position the succeeding cabinet in initial loading position. It is obvious that this longthe lert side of the wheel is in step advancement of the wheel can be eifectuated by the same type of advancing mechanism as described for the short-step advancement. It will also be observed that during the long-step advancement of the wheel the loading mechanism 35, 31a, as well as the short-step advancing mechanism, must remain inactive. Conversely, the long-step advancing mechanism must remain inactive while the short-step advancing mechanism is operating.

In order to effect a long-step advancement of Wheel 80, the shaft 11 (FiGURE 9) has rotatably mounted thereon a beveled gear 88, which gear meshes with beveled gear 89 on auxiliary drive shaft 98. Fixedly secured to gear 88 and also rotatably mounted upon shaft 11 is a disk 88a having a pawl 92 pivotally secured to one face thereof and adapted to engage the teeth of ratchet wheel 91 fixedly secured upon shaft 11. Thus the wheel may be rotated by auxiliary drive shaft 90.

As heretofore stated, the short-step advancing mechanism must remain idle while the long-step advancing mechanism operates. This is made possible by the provision of ratchet wheel 91a fixedly mounted upon shaft 11 and adapted to be engaged by pawl 92a which is pivotally secured to the face of gear wheel 71 of the short-step advancing mechanism. During operation of the longstep advancing mechanism the short-step mechanism is permitted to remain idle while ratchet wheel 91a rotates under pawl 92a. Similarly, the provision of ratchet wheel 91 and its pawl 92 permits the long-step driving mecha nism to remain idle while the short-step mechanism operates. Obviously, suitable means, not shown, may be provided for timing the alternate operation of the respective long-step and short-step wheel advancing mechanisms.

The oppositely acting pusher arms 31a are operated from shaft 43, said shaft having beveled gear 44 mounted thereon (FIGURES 8 and 9) which meshes with beveled gear 45 on one end of shaft 43a. The other end of shaft 43a has beveled gear 46 mounted thereon which meshes with beveled gear 47 on shaft 43b, the latter shaft having previously described cam 42 fixedly secured thereon.

FIGURE 12 illustrates means responsive to the weight of the deposited articles 26 for controlling the interm ttent advancement or roation of the wheel shown 1n connection with the embodiment of invention of FIG- URES 7 through 11. This control comprises four leaf sprin s 93, 94, and 96 corresponding to the four chambers 83 of the cabinet 82. The free ends of the springs successively engage a fixed stop 97, each spring being gauged to release itself from the stop under the additional weight of a deposited article 26 to permit the wheel to rotate the succeeding chamber to loading position.

FIGURE 12A shows an arrangement similar to that of FIGURE 12, in combination with the form of invention il ustrated in FIGURES 2 through 6. In FIGURE 12A, however, six leaf springs 98, 99, 100, 101, 102 and 103 are provided respectively for the six chambers 15 of section 14, said springs likewise being gauged to release themselves from the stop under specified weights.

FIGURE 13 illustrates a light-sensitive cell means for controlling the intermittent rotation of the wheel shown in FIGURES 7 through 11. The periphery of wheel 80 in this modification is provided with opening 80a opposite the inner face of cabinet 81 so as to permit passage of rays 106 passing from light sources 107 to photo-electric cells 108. Also, openings 109 are provided in the inner wall of each chamber 83, and similar openings 110 are provided in the bottom of carton 19 at the opposite side of each chamber 83 from openings 109, said openings I08 and 109 permitting passage of light rays 106 when the associated chamber 83 is empty.

When both beams 106 are interrupted by two articles 26 entering a chamber 83, relay 112 is energized causing switch 113 to close the circuit from the power source 116 to solenoid 117 to thereby actuate pivoted clutch face levers 118 and 119 which, in turn, are connected to clutch faces 120 and 121, said clutch faces being longitudinally slidable on splined shafts 122 and 11a respectively. Thus when solenoid 117 is energized, the clutch face 121 will engage the proximate clutch face of gear 123 driven by a pinion 124 on motor shaft 125, causing motor to rotate wheel 80. The energization of solenoid 117 will also cause clutch face to become disengaged from the proximate clutch face of gear 123 to stop the operation of pusher arms 31a during the period of rotation of wheel 80.

It will be observed that splined shaft 122 has pinion 127 fixedly mounted thereon and meshing with gear 128 on drive shaft 43. When the Wheel has rotated through an angle sufiicient to permit passage of light beams through the succeeding chamber 83, the relay 112 will be die-energized to permit spring 130 to rotate clutch face levers 118 and 119 in a counterclockwise direction and to simultaneously disengage clutch face 121 which drives wheel 80, and engage clutch face 120 which drives the article loading mechanism.

FIGURE 13A shows the above-described light-sensitive cell control applied to the form of invention illustrated in FIGURES 2 through 6. The principle of operation is apparent from the previous description, and can be readily applied by those famlh' 'ar with this art.

In the drawings and specification preferred embodimnlIS- of the invention have been disclosed, and although specific terms are employed they are used in a generic sense and not intended for the purpose of limitation, the

' scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a packaging machine, the combination with a rotatable wheel having a plurality of circumferentially the open sides of cartons respectively over said open chamber sides of each said section, intermittently operable commodity depositing means positioned adjacent the circumferential path of travel of said open chamber ends, means operable in timed relation to said depositing means for rotating said chamber end openings into registration with the depositing means to successively deposit commodities in said chambers, and means for guiding the commodities deposited in the chambers of each section outwardly through the respective open chamber sides and into the carton supported thereover.

2. A packaging machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for rotating said chamber end openings com prises photo-electric cell means for successively scanning said chambers, and means operable upon-the interruption of the light beam from said cell means for advancing the wheel.

3. A packaging machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for rotating said chamber end openings comprises a stop member, and leaf springs individual to each chamber for engaging said stop, each of said springs being gauged to release itself from the stop under a pre determined weight whereby each deposited commodity will cause a spring to become released to advance the wheel.

4. In a packaging machine, the combination with a rotatable wheel having a plurality of circumferentially arranged article holding units mounted eccentrically thereon, feeding means movable transversely of the plane of rotation of said wheel and toward the circumferential path of rotation of said units, means for dividing each unit into open ended chambers extending transversely of said plane of rotation, means for successively rotating the open ends of said chambers into registration with said feeding means to receive articles from the latter, each said chamber having an open outer side remote from the axis of rotation of the wheel, means for supporting the open side of a container over the open chamber sides of each unit, and means for guiding the articles de posited in the chambers of each unit outwardly through the respective open chamber sides and into the container supported thereover.

5. In a packaging machine, the combination of a wheel having a plurality of circumferentially arranged article holding units mounted eccentrically thereon, each said unit being divided into commodity receiving chambers extending transversely of the plane of rotation of said wheel, each of said chambers having an open outermost side and at least one open end, the outer portion of said unit being adapted to releasably support thereover the open side of a carton with the end walls thereof restricting the sizes of the chamber end openings, feeding means for successively depositing a commodity in said chambers through their respective restricted end openings, means operable in timed relation to said feeding means for intermittently advancing said wheel to successively position the restricted end openings in register with the feeding means, and means individual to each open chamber side for guiding the deposited commodity into the carton supported over said chambers.

6. In a packaging machine, the combination with a wheel having a plurality of sections of package forms circumferential-1y arranged around its periphery, means including a plurality of spaced substantially radially disposed plates for dividing each section into open ended compartments extending transversely of the plane of rotation of said wheel, intermittently operable feeding means movable transversely of said wheel plane and toward the circumferential path of rotation of said forms, means operable in timed relation to said feeding means for intermittently advancing said wheel to cause the open ends of said compartment to successively register with the feeding means, each said compartment having an open outermost side remote from the axis of rotation of the wheel, means for supporting the open side of an empty carton opposite said open compartment sides of each section, and means individual to each compartment for guiding the deposited commodity therefrom into said carton and in juxtaposition with the commodities guided from adjacent compartments.

7. A packaging machine as defined in claim 6 wherein said means for intermittently advancing-said wheel comprises a stop, and leaf springs individual to each compartment for successively engaging said stop as the wheel advances, each of said springs being gauged to release itself from said stop upon application of a predetermined weight upon its associated compartment, whereby the additional weight of each deposited commodity causes a spring to be released and permit further rotation of the wheel.

8. A packaging machine as defined in claim 6 wherein said means for intermittently advancing said Wheel comprises photo-electric cell means for successively scanning the commodities entering said compartments, and means operable by said cell means for advancingthe wheel.

9. A packaging machine as defined in claim 6 .and further comprising means located adjacent the arcuate path of travel of the outer portion of each section and at a point in advance of said feeding means for successively positioning the open sides of empty cartons respectively in said supported positions relative to the sections.

10. In a packaging machine, the combination with a rotatable wheel having a plurality of circumferentially will deposit articles into said compartments, each said compartment having an outer open side remote from the axis of rotation of the wheel, means for releasably supporting the open side of a container over the open chamber sides of each unit, and means individual to each open compartment side for guiding the deposited article into the container supported over the latter sides and in juxtaposition with the articles from adjacent compartments.

11. A packaging machine as defined in claim 4 and further comprising means located adjacent the arcuate path of travel of the outer portion of each unit and at a point in advance of said feeding means for successively positioning the open sides of empty containers respectively in said supported positions relative to said units.

12. A packaging machine as defined in claim 10 wherein said guiding means comprises extensions of the outer edges of said radially disposed transverse plates, said extensions separating each deposited article from the other as it is guided into the container.

13. In a packaging machine, the combination with a Wheel having a cabinet mounted at the periphery thereof, said cabinet being divided into transverse commodity receiving chambers by outwardly extending and substantially equally spaced parallel plates disposed transversely of the wheel, each of said chambers having an open outermost side and at least one open end, the outer portion of said cabinet being adapted to releasably support thereover the open side of an empty carton to thereby close said outermost chamber sides and to restrict the size of opening at each chamber end, intermittently operable feeding means disposed adjacent the arcuate path of travel of the restricted chamber end openings and movable longitudinally of a chamber when the latter is positioned opposite the feeding means, means operable in timed relation to said feeding means for intermittently advancing said wheel to successively position the restricted chamber openings in register with the feeding means, and means for maintaining the chambers of each cabinet alined parallel to the wheel tangent as the cabinet is advanced by the feeding means.

14. A packaging machine as defined in claim 13 wherein each said cabinet is pivotally mounted on the wheel, and wherein said last-named means comprises a fixed cam engageable with the free end of each cabinet as it passes the feeding means to rotate the cabinet about the pivot whereby the alinement of the chambers is maintained parallel to the wheel tangent.

15. A packaging machine as defined in claim 13 wherein said means for intermittently advancing the wheel comprises a stop, and leaf springs individual to each chamber for successively engaging said stop as the wheel advances, each of said springs being gauged to release itself from the stop when a predetermined weight is applied to its associated chamber, whereby the additional weight of each deposited commodity will cause a spring to be released and the Wheel to be advanced.

16. A packaging machine as defined in claim 13 wherein said means for intermittently advancing the wheel comprises photo-electric cell means for successively scanning the commodities entering said chambers, and means operable by said cell means for advancing the wheel.

17. A packaging machine as defined in claim 13 wherein further means are provided for successively positioning the open sides of empty cartons respectively in said supported positions on the outer portions of the cabinets, said last-named means comprising an inclined chute having its lower end located adjacent the arcuate path of travel of the outer portions of said cabinets, and means for supporting the lower-most carton on said chute in inverted position and, with a wall thereof extending within the arcuate path of travel of the cabinet, whereby as the cabinet engages the inside of the wall the carton will be lifted from the chute.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 741,467 Donnelly Oct. 13, 1903 2,624,990 Allen Jan. 13, 1953 2,673,672 Jorgenson Mar. 30, 1954 

